(BIVN) – Crews continue working to restore roads in Kaʻū, in particular portions of Highway 11 that were washed away in Pāhala and Nāʻālehu.
The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation says the two major repair areas on Highway 11 are fronting Pāhala Hospital at mile-marker 50.5, and in the vicinity of Nā‘ālehu Cemetery at mile-marker 65.8.
From a Hawaiʻi DOT news release:
Work at the Pāhala Hospital washout is progressing. HDOT has filled approximately 17 feet of the washout that is nearly 25-feet-deep, by 211-feet-long, by 44-feet-wide. Workers are intermixing layers of controlled low-strength concrete (flowable fill) with structural fill, to provide stability and cut off potential water intrusions. After structural fill is completed, HDOT will pave the surface and cover the slopes with flowable fill to protect them from future erosion. At the Nā‘ālehu Cemetery site, HDOT is proceeding cautiously and coordinating debris clearing with the state and county emergency management agencies that are monitoring for potential human remains from the cemetery.
To prepare for future storms, HDOT is removing the debris washed into streams by Lala and all previous storms at mileposts 50, 51.5, 53.5, 54.5 and 56.5. All bridges along Route 11 in Ka‘ū impacted by Lala were inspected and are structurally sound and safe for operations.
Hawaiʻi DOT crews continue to request only local residents and/or disaster response vehicles access the Kaʻū stretch of Highway 11 between Pāhala and Wai‘ōhinu. Limiting access allows crews to work more effectively, state officials say.
There may be single-lane closures with alternating traffic control at these points on the highway, the DOT added.
Also in Kaʻū, the Hawaiʻi County The Department of Public Works has restored road access to Wood Valley, and continues work to restore Cane Haul Road.
